BEEF AND ORZO SKILLET (MANESTRA)

This beef and orzo skillet (manestra) is a comforting one-pot meal with lots of flavors.  Greek spices, spinach, tomatoes, onion, garlic, orzo, and feta cheese are the shining stars in this dish.  The skillet meals have been a huge hit.  So here is another easy recipe to add to your one-pot-meals collection.

Orzo is a pasta that has the appearance of rice.  You can find it in the pasta aisle.  When shopping for orzo try to find a 100% whole wheat version.  I must admit, I rarely find whole wheat orzo at the grocery store.  When I do, I actually find it in the bulk bins.  It is easily available through good old Amazon though!

The orzo is very easy to work with and goes into this recipe dry, so no prior prep required!  After sauteing the onion and garlic, you simply brown the beef, add in the seasonings, orzo, and tomatoes and put a lid on it!  It took about 10-15 minutes of active cooking before the final simmering step.  Once you have everything in the pot and set it to simmer you can walk away and work on something else for the last ten minutes.

For more Greek recipes check out my Greek Kofta Meatballs and Greek Mint Turkey Burgers.

Beef and Orzo Skillet (Manestra)

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 2 tsp olive oil
• ½ onion chopped 4 oz
• 3 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried mint
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup dried whole wheat orzo 200 grams
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup low sodium beef broth
• 1 tbl apple cider vinegar
• 3 cups chopped fresh spinach 100 grams
• 2 oz of feta cheese for topping

Instructions

 

• Choose a large deep walled skillet with a tight-fitting lid or a Dutch oven with lid. Heat over medium-high heat and add the oil then the onion. Cook the onion for a few minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute or so until fragrant.
• Add the ground beef and combine well with the onion and garlic, breaking up the beef and cooking until browned through.
• Add the paprika, salt, pepper, mint, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and orzo and mix well. Toast the spices and the orzo for a couple of minutes. Next, add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and beef broth and stir to combine. Place the lid on and let simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
• Check to see if the orzo is cooked through. If it still has a bite to it, return lid and let simmer a few more minutes, adding ½ cup more liquid (water or broth) only if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• Stir in the apple cider vinegar and the spinach and stir until the spinach has wilted in.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with feta garnished on top.

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